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Covid-19

August 11, 2022

We have weathered several challenges during the past two years, as we navigated the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, Diocese of Joliet schools remained open as a safe place for learning. As we approach the new school year, the virus continues to be present. Reviewing our experiences over the past two years, we strongly believe the strategies we used directly contributed to the success of offering in-person learning.

For the 2022-23 school year, we will adhere to the following practices:

• Individuals who test positive must stay home from school and isolate from all school activities for five days and report the positive case to their school.
• Upon their return to school, for days 6-10, no masks are required if the individuals test negative. Absent a negative test, they must mask during the school day and social distance at lunch.
• Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 or any illness should stay home while sick.
• Schools will no longer conduct contact tracing.
• Close contacts will no longer be required to mask, quarantine or social distance at lunchtime.

As we have seen, these strategies may need to change if COVID-19 infection rates reach critical levels. The Catholic Schools Office continues to monitor guidelines from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and the various county health departments. Additionally, we will continue to consult with other diocesan offices of Catholic education across Illinois.